Automatic switch.



No. 671,345. 1 Patented Apr. 2, IBM.

J. w. LAGEY.

Au-Tunnlc swn'cu.

(Application filed Oct. 25, 190M (No Model.)

I \H. P sv. 6

Fig.1.

IFIVE F1130]! IWTZDEEH Nrrnn STATES PATENT CFFICE.

JAMES WALTER LAOEY, OF MAYLINE, ALABAMA.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 671,345, dated April 2, 1901. Application filed October 25, 1900. Serial No. 34,366. (No model.)

To whom it may concern:

Beit known that 1, JAMES WALTER LAGEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mayline, Shelby county, Alabama, have invented a new and useful Switch, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to switches and to devices by which the switches can be thrown or set from a passing engine or car that the engine, car, or cars maypass through, and then the switch can be replaced in its original position from the same engine or car or from another car of the same train.

The main object of the invention is to provide an improved automatic switch mechanism; also such improved switch mechanism in combination with means for operating the switch independently by hand when so desired.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan of a section of track. Fig. 2 is a side View of the switch-operating lever. Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on line 3 3. Fig. 4 represents an end view of a car with switch-lever-operating device. Fig. 5is a section on line 5 5. Fig. 6 is a section on line-6 6, and Fig. 7 shows means for operating the switch manually.

1 1 are the rails of a main track; 2 2, the rails of a branch track; 3, the movable switchrail for closing the main line, and 4 the switchrail for closing the branch line, the mainline being preferably maintained closed except when a car or train is passing onto the branch. Theswitch-rails 3 4 are pivoted at 3 4 and connected to a bar 5, as indicated at 6, so that said bar when moved longitudinally moves both switch-rails, opening the main line and closing the branch, or vice versa.

Between or adjacent to the rails at the switch is my improved switch-operatinglever. The lever is a compound or double lever having two sections 6 7, being setting and resetting sections, suitably supported on the crossties or other supports. The sections 6 7 are connected together attheir meeting ends by a pin 8 on one section extending through an elongated slot in the other section. The leversection 6 is pivoted, as at 9, and its free end has an upwardly-extending lug or part 10. At the jointed end the lever carries a strong flat spring 11, parallel or substantially parallel with lever-section 6, one end of which spring is connected to the sliding bar 5, as indicated at 12. The springis also connected to lever-section 7 through the pin 8. The lever-section 7 also has at its free end, which is on the opposite side of the switch from the end of section 6, a lug 10. Instead of providing lever-section 7 with a fixed pivot, such as section 6 has, I providea socket 13, secn red to a tie or other support at the middle or desired part of the section 7, through which socket the section extends loosely and in which it can move longitudinally and also turn horizontally. to a limited extent, an inner end of the socket forming the pivot of section 7. By dotted lines, Fig. 1, are indicated the positions assumed by sections 6 7 when operated to throw the switch to close the branch line.

is a device for operating the switch-lever and switch manually, when desired, independently of the operation by the operating device carried on a car.

16 is a bar connected to lever-section 6 at one side of its pivot at 17. The bar extends under the track-rail to device 15, where it may have a rack 18, engaging gear-wheel 19 on shaft 20. Within the casing said shaft has a bevel-Wheel 21.

22 is a second bevel-wheel normally out of gear, being held up by spring 23, so that the handle will not be swung back and forth by the rack.

24 is a handle on spindle 25 for turning it.

I donot limit myself to the means described for transferring motion from the handle to the spindle.

The car 26 to travel on the track has devices adapted to operate the switch-levers, and therefore the switch-rails.

27 is a metal block preferably tapering toward both ends and carried by a-strong rod 28, on the upper end of which is fixed a disk 29.

30 is a rod connected eccentrically to the disk at 31 and connected at 32 to handle 33, pivoted at 34.

35 is an inverted cup-shaped body secured to the car.

36 is a rib on rod 28, between which rib and the car-body is a spring 37, normally holding block 27 up. The block 27 is so placed that its front point when the block is lowered will pass to the right or tothe left of Jug 10, ac-. cording as the branch track is right or left.

To throw the switch from themoving car, handle 33 is moved to the right, depressing block 27 to a .plane belowthe .top of lug 10,. so that as the car approaches the switchthe block strikes the lug and moves the switchlever to the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. The lever-section 6 turns on its pivot-pin and by means of the strong but yielding spring 11 moves bar 5and the connected switch-rails, thereby opening the main track and closing the branch.

The spring connection between the lever and the sliding bar is of great advantage and will ordinarily be employed, butis not always essential. The described movement of'leversection 6 moves section '7 oppositely, it turning the necessary distance by movement in its socket, section 7 being free to move slightly in longitudinal direction during the turning movement. As above stated, the socket or one edge of the socket serves as a pivot for section 7. As the car advances beyond the switch block 27 (the same block as opened the switch or a like block mounted in proper position) is lowered, being so adjusted as to carry the point of block 27 just to the right of lug 10, swinging the le'ver-sectionsG 7 and the switch-rails back to normal position.

It is not essential that the main track rather than the branch be normally closed; but this is preferred.

I claim 1. The combination with main and branch tracks and switch-rails, of switch setting and resetting lever-sections 6,7 connected at their meeting ends, the sections being pivoted intermediate theirends and having lugsorparts at their ends adapted to be struck by an operating-block on a movingcar,a movable bar to which the switch-rails are connected, a

spring connected to lever-section 6 and to lever-section 7 through the connecting-pin, the spring being also connected to said movable bar. v

2. The combination with main and branch tracksand switch-rails, and a movable bar to which the switch-rails are connected, of switch setting and resetting lever-sections 6, 7 connected at-their meeting ends, a pivot-pin at the central part of one lever-section, and a socket at the central part of the other lever section, said socket being formed to allow the lever-section therein to turn horizontally and also to move longitudinally, and a spring connected to the movable bar and to lever 6.

3. The combinationwith the switch-rails of oppositely-moving connected lever-sections 6,

7, a movable bar to which the switch-rails are connected, and a flat spring parallel with le ver-section'6 and between the lever-sections and the movable bar.

4. The combination with the switch-rails of oppositely-moving connected lever-sections 6, 7, the connection consisting of a pin in one section passing intoan elongated slot in the other section, a movable bar to which the switch-rails are connected, and a flat spring 11 connecting themovable bar directly to-lever-section 6 and mediately to lever-section 7, as set forth. 4

5. The combination with'the switch-rails of the movable bar connecting them, the leversections 6 7, and thecentrally-located socket through which the lever-section 7 passes, and the flat spring connecting said bar and the lever-section 6, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES WALTER- LAOEY. [L. s]

Witnesses:

G. O. WILLIS, W. M. GIBBS. 

